WE Day

W I N N I P E G F R E E P R E S S S P E C A I L F E AT U R E | N O V E M B E R 16 , 2 016 | P A G E 10 WE DAY SPECIAL SECTION SECTION 10 "Your digital footprint will follow you for the rest of your life." Those wise words belong to Jill Schnarr, vice president of community affairs at TELUS and mom of two teenage boys. And the thought is one she wants all young people to remember. It may sound daunting, but it doesn't have to be. Technology is an extension of ourselves. We tweet, shop and play online. As a parent, Schnarr recognizes how engrossed kids are in the digital world. "You can't always ensure your kids are making the right decisions and choices," she says, "but you can give them an understanding of what those choices entail." Since 2013, TELUS has been creating a much-needed dialogue around Internet safety. The WISE program, short for Wise Internet and Smartphone Education, offers workshops and multi-media resources for Canadians of all ages to learn about social media exposure, Internet etiquette and privacy. It helps teach kids and adults how to deal with the issues and temptations that arise online. Everything that might mar that footprint. As providers of Internet, mobility and smartphones, Schnarr believes TELUS has the responsibility to teach youth the most responsible ways to utilize technology. But she is adamant that it's not about preaching to the kids. "It's teaching them to be safe and to protect their reputation. All of us need it." Schnarr knows all too well that kids don't want to be lectured. They value their independence and want to be able to make their own decisions about their Internet activities. Luckily, the WISE program empowers them to do that. "Arm them with the right tools, give them examples, have ongoing conversations. Empower your kid to be able to act in the most appropriate way. And if they don't, be able to talk to them about it." How to keep your kids safe in a digital world ~MAY ANTAKI TELUS, the TELUS logo, the future is friendly and telus.com are trademarks of TELUS Corporation, used under licence. © 2016 TELUS. 16_00935 Together, we can help kids #RiseAbove cyberbullying. TELUS is a proud sponsor of WE Day – empowering youth to create positive change in our communities. Learn how at telus.com/riseabove TELUS leader Jill Schnarr (far right) with a team of volunteers at a community event. Executive Chairman, True North Sports & Entertainment WE Day Manitoba Co-Chair Mark Chipman President, Western Glove Works Ltd WE Day Manitoba Co-Chair Bob Silver President and CEO, James Richardson & Sons, Ltd WE Day Global Co-Chair & WE Day Manitoba Co-Chair Hartley T. Richardson The movement continues at WE Day Manitoba ! to our generous Co-Chairs for their support in empowering young people from over 450 WE Schools across Manitoba to change the world through service. Group Head, Personal and Commercial Banking, RBC WE Day Natl Co-Chair - CAN Jennifer Tory Chair, KPMG's Americas Region, KPMG WE Day Natl Co-Chair - CAN Bill Thomas President and CEO, Keg Restaurants WE Day Global Co-Chair David Aisenstat President and CEO, TELUS WE Day Natl Co-Chair - CAN Darren Entwistle Owner, Jeffrey Latimer Entertainment WE Day Natl Co-Chair - CAN Jeffrey Latimer President and CEO, RBC WE Day Global Co-Chair Dave McKay Olga Shiguango's eight-year-old daughter asks to get a snack from the corner store. "Put it on my credit," Shiguango tells her. It seems totally uneventful, but it represents how drastically her life has changed. "I couldn't do that before," Shiguango, 29, explained. Before joining the women's group in her community of Bellavista Baja, her family struggled to afford basic meals. Extras were out of the question. Shiguango's community is nestled on the shore of the Napo River in the Amazon rainforest in Ecuador. It's accessible only by canoe or a bumpy dirt road that cuts through the jungle. Employment opportunities are limited. For Shiguango, the only option was farming. Then her husband Saul, a builder, went through a period of unemployment. "We didn't have money," Shiguango said. "I would cook yucca with a little bit of salt. If there was an egg, I would use that too. That was our meal." Some days, they would have only chicha, a local drink made out of corn. In March 2014, WE, already working in the region to rebuild a local school, made a request for a community meeting with a special caveat—women only. WE asked if the women wanted to form a women's group and draw on their ancestral history of crafting and using Indigenous fibres and seeds to make and sell jewellery. Shiguango Empowerment centre in the Amazon unites Indigenous women WE Villages and ME to WE Artisans programs create new opportunities ~WANDA O'BRIEN seized the opportunity. "At first, I didn't know if I could do it," she confessed. Although this region of the Amazon has a rich artisan history, Shiguango was never exposed to it growing up. But the income opportunity was there. "My husband told me, 'I think you can do it. You just have to work hard.'" The group started meeting twice a week. WE provided training to revitalize handicrafts knowledge, and in financial literary, small- business management and public speaking. With each milestone, like finishing her first order of 100 bracelets or being elected group treasurer, Shiguango's confidence has grown. Shiguango's group is one of nine income and livelihood groups WE works with in Ecuador. This past June, WE celebrated the opening of a Women's Empowerment Centre located in the rainforest to serve as a central point of connection and training for all groups. "It is very useful for us to learn together," Shiguango said. Women involved with WE's artisan program have seen their average household income increase by nearly one third. Shiguango first used her extra income to cover the basics of food, clothes, school supplies and medicines. Then, she used the extra income to make her first large purchase: a fridge. Now, she and her husband are putting together an education fund for their children. Shiguango has rejuvenated a skill of her ancestors and is sharing it with the world to strengthen her family's future. She now has peace of mind. "I'm no longer stressed about having money for food, or clothes or medicine. Now I know if I go to the store and I make credit, I know I can pay for it." The Women's Empowerment Centre brings together artisans from across Ecuador for business-skills training. Thanks to the women's group she joined, Olga Shiguango no longer has to worry about providing healthy food or affording clothes for her children.

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